Rail-chair.



A. G. LIBBMANN.

RAIL CHAIR. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1913.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

IHE NORRIS Plumes C0,, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D. C.

TED STA FGE.

AUGUST G. LIEBMANN, 0F BUTTE, MONTANA, ASSIGNOR TO VIGNOLES RAIL CHAIR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA'WARE.

RAIL-CHAIR.

Application filed August 27, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. AUGUST G. LIEBM.:\NN, citizen of the United States, residing at Butte, in the county of Silverbow and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway track appliance and particularly to rail chairs.

The primary object of the form of chair illustrated in the accompanying drawings is to provide a chair for use on curves at the intermediate points of superelevation, the chair being so designed that the curve can be properly maintained and the outer rail superelevated the required amount without disturbing the ballast or subgrade.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chair which may be used with permanent shims to secure the proper elevation of the rail.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chair of the character above set forth in which the rail is supported upon a truss or upon a shim disposed between the truss and bed plate, which truss together with the rail, is adapted to be shifted laterally or raised so as to secure proper adjustment of the rail.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a chair of this character of means for permitting a maximum of lateral adjustment of the truss or rail support with relation to the base plate.

A further object is to provide for the use.

of a plurality of wedge keys, the uppermost keys pressing against the abutment and rail brace of the chair to lock the rail in vertical surfaced positions while the lowermost keys take care of the vertical and lateral aljust ment of the truss.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction permitting of a ready adjustment of the rail both laterally and vertically, and a still further object is to provide a construction of such character that while there is a ready adjustment of the rail both laterally and vertically there will be no lost motion.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a tie, a rail thereon, and the im- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1915.

Serial No. 787,002.

proved rail chair. Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation, the rail being in section. Fig. & is a fragmentary end detail view of one of the abutments.

Referring to these drawings A designates a tie which is illustrated as a wood tie, and B a rail of standard shape. Disposed upon the upper face of the tie and held thereto by screw spikes of any suitable character is a bed plate 2 which is perforated at its corners for the passage of screw spikes 3. This bed plate is formed at opposite ends with upstanding abutments 4. Each of these abutments is narrower than the bed plate and has a vertical inner face 5, the outer face of the abutment extending gradually downwardly and outwardly so as to buttress the abutment. Preferably the abutment is hollow so as to lighten the structure. The abutment is formed on its inner face 5 with a plurality of notches 6, these notches being tapering; that is, the inner wall of each notch is inclined.

The rail B rests upon a truss or supporting member designated 7 This truss con sists of a plate which extends beneath the rail and is recessed at its opposite ends so asto fit over and embrace the abutments 4. The truss member is formed with an upstanding rectangular flange 8 and outwardly projecting side walls 9 extending at right angles to the flange 8, this wall or flange 8 extending parallel to the rail. The lower end of the wall 8 is formed with a lip 11 and the upper end of the wall 8 is formed with a lip 12. The side walls 9 are formed with a plurality of perforations preferably rectangular in form, designated 13, for the passage of wedge members 14:, these wedges engaging with the notches 6 or grooves formed in the inner faces of the abutments a. Disposed between each wall or flange 8 and bearing against the rail at its head and base are rail braces 15 having the form of solid blocks, one corner of each block being forwardly extended as at 16 to engage beneath the head of the rail, the lower face of the block being slightly inclined or beveled and bearing upon the base flange of the rail. Each brace 15 is slightly longer than the corresponding wall 8 and at its end is formed with outwardly extending lips 17 which engage around the ends of the wall 8 as illustrated clearly in Fig. 2. The height of each brace is such that the brace will fit between the lips 11 and 12 and when in position will be prevented from any upward movement relative to the wall 8. The wedges 1A have inclined side edges but fiat upper and lower faces so that when the wedges are driven into position they WJll bear each against the outer face of the corresponding wall 8 and against the inner face of the corresponding abutment and will force the truss member 7 laterally and the rail and rail braces with it. It will be seen that these wedges not only act to force the truss member, the rail, and the rail braces laterally, but that they also act to lock the truss member in proper position relative to the abutments. When it is desired to elevate the rail the truss member is lifted together with the rail and the rail braces, the wedges having been first removed, a shim of the desired size is inserted beneath the truss member and between the truss member and the upper face of the base plate 2. After the shim is in place the wedges 14 are again driven home. Preferably a plurality of keys or wedges 14 are used, the top key or wedge pressing against the rail truss to keep the rail in proper vertical surface, the lower keys or wedges taking care of the vertical and lateral adjustment of the truss. The topmost key pressing upon the abutment and the truss will bind the rail brace and rail against a rising of the rail from vertical deflection. While two keys are shown it will be understood that any desired number may be employed.

By providing the truss 7 upon which the rail rests and which truss is elevated with the rail, a secure and greater vertical adjustment of the rail for a curve with an intermediate extent of elevation is obtained.

The form of chair illustrated in connection with this description is intended to be used in connection with the chairs forming the subjects matter of application Serial Number 780,010, filed on the 27th day of August, 1913, and application Serial Number 787,00l, filed on the 27th day of August, 1913. In these applications the illustrated chairs are designed to secure a maximum elevation of the outer rail of a curve or tangent and a minimum elevation thereof by means of permanent shims. The chair herein described is designed to secure an elevation of the outer rail by means of permanent shims intermediate the elevation secured by the form illustrated in application Serial Number 787 ,010, and that illustrated in application Serial Number 7 87 ,004-, above referred to. It will be further noted that when the permanent shims are used for the superelevation of the rail, means must be provided for preventing the shim from slipping out of the chair and from under the rail. In this present case the shim is gripped over its whole surface betweensthe. under face of the truss 7 and the upper face of the plate 2 so that it cannot slip longitudinally and is held from any lateral movement by engagement at its ends with the abutments 4.

While the chair as illustrated is particularly designed for North Central and Central lVestern States region it is to be of course understood that it is adapted for use in any locality or situation where circumstances permit.

The chair heretofore described conforms to the requirements laid down in the final report of the Block Signal and Train Control Board of the Interstate Commerce Commission in that the chair is particularly designed to support lateral thrust and resist the overturning movement or tipping thrust on the rail and in that it provides means whereby the rail may be adjusted without withdrawing or altering the primary fastenings. Further than this, the chair permits the rail to be blocked-up or shimmed and provides for widening gage without lost motion or change of the primary adjustment. By reason of the fact that with a chair of this character the screw spikes do not have to be withdrawn to permit of proper adjustment of the rail, treated ties may be used economically whereas with the ordinary method of fastening rails to ties it is not economical to use treated ties for the reason that the life of the ties is very short due to the necessity of respiking and the cutting or crushing of the tie by the pressure on the rail.

Having described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A rail chair including a base having spaced upstanding abutments, a rail supporting truss adjustable laterally and vertically between the abutments, and means interposed between and bearing against the adjacent faces of the abutments and truss for holding said truss in different positions of adjustment.

2. A rail chair including a base having upstanding abutments, a rail supporting truss adjustable laterally and vertically between the abutments, removable braces engaging on either side of the rail and bearing against the truss, and means interposed between and bearing against the adjacent faces of the abutments and truss for shifting said truss laterally and holding the same locked in any adjusted position.

3. A rail chair including a base having an unobstructed seat and provided with upstanding abutments, a rail supporting truss adapted to rest directly on said seat or on a shim and adjustable laterally and vertically between the abutments, and means co acting with the abutments and truss for holding the rail in different positions of adjustment.

4. A rail chair comprising a base plate having. upstanding abutments at opposite Cji ends, a rail supporting truss superposed upon the base plate and having lateral walls embracing said abutments, and means for adjusting the rail supporting truss laterally with relation to the abutments and holding the truss in its adjusted position.

5. A rail chair comprising a base plate having upstanding abutments at opposite ends, a rail supporting truss disposed between the abutments and having walls extending parallel to the faces of the abutments and outwardly extending side Walls embracing the sides of the abutments, said rail supporting truss being movable vertically and laterally with relation to the abutments, and means for shifting the truss laterally and holding it in said shifted position, said means enga ing the abutments to lock the truss in a vertically shifted position.

6. A rail chair comprising a base plate having upstanding abutments at opposite ends, a rail supporting truss disposed upon the upper face of the base plate and having oppositely disposed vertical walls parallel to the faces of the abutments and outwardly extending side walls embracing said abutments, said side walls being slotted, rail braces disposed between said vertical walls and the rail, and adjusting wedges passing through the slots in the side walls and e11- gaging with the faces of the abutments.

7. A rail chair comprising a base plate having upstanding abutments at opposite ends, the inner faces of the abutments having a plurality of longitudinal grooves, a rail supporting truss disposed upon the upper-face of the base plate and having oppositely disposed vertical walls parallel to the faces of the abutments and outwardly ex.- tending side walls embracing said abutments, said side walls being slotted, rail braces disposed between said vertical walls and the rail, and adjusting wedges passing through the slots in the side walls and engaging with the grooves in said abutments.

8. A rail chair comprising a base plate having upstanding abutments at its opposite ends, a rail supporting truss disposed between said abutments, said truss being recessed to embrace the abutments and being formed with parallel vertical walls confronting the inner faces of the abutments and side walls confronting the sides of the abutments, said side walls being formed with a plurality of slots, rail braces connected with the head and base of the rail and having fiat outer faces engaging with the vertical walls of the truss, and locking wedges passing through the slots of the side walls and engaging said abutments, said abutments being longitudinally grooved to receive said locking wedges.

9. A rail chair including a base plate having upstanding abutments at opposite ends, the inner faces of said abutments being vertical and formed with longitudinal grooves, the abutments being less in width than the width of the base plate, a rail supporting truss disposed between said abutments and disposed upon said base plate and recessed at its ends to embrace said abutments, said truss being formed with parallel vertical walls confronting the inner faces of the abutments and with outwardly extending side walls confronting the sides of said abutments, these side walls being formed with a plurality of slots, the upper and lower edges of the vertical walls being inwardly turned to form lips, rail braces disposed between the vertical walls and adapted to engage on ither side of the rail, said rail braces being longer than the vertical walls and having outwardly extending lips at their ends adapted to engage at either end of the vertical walls, and wedging keys passing through the slots in the side walls and engaging the grooves on the faces of the abutments.

10. A rail chair including a base having spaced upstanding abutments, a rail supporting truss embracing the abutments and adjustable laterally and vertically with respect to the base, and means c0acting with the abutments and truss for holding said truss in different positions of adjustment.

11. A rail chair including a base having upstanding abutments, means for permanently securing the base to a sub-structure, a truss resting directly on the base or on a shim and adjustable vertically and laterall between the abutments independently of the base securing means, rail braces bearing against the truss and means co-acting with the abutments and truss for holding said truss in different positions of adjustment.

12. The combination with a rail, of a chair including a base having upstanding abutments, means for permanently securing the base to a sub-structure, a truss slidably mounted for vertical movement on the abutments and capable of being shifted laterally, braces interposed between the rail and the truss, and means co-acting with the truss and abutments for holding said truss in different positions of adjustment.

13. A rail chair including a base having upstanding abutments, means for permanently attaching the base to a sub-structure, a truss adjustable vertically and laterally be tween the abutments and adapted to rest on the bed-plate or on a shim, said truss being provided with lateral walls embracing the abutments, removable rail braces coacting with the truss, and means interposed between the truss and abutments for holding said truss in different positions of adjustment.

14:. The combination with a rail, of a chair including a base having upstanding abutments, means for permanently securing the base to a sub-structure, a truss resting on the base or on a shim between the abutments, said rail and truss being adjustable simultaneously both laterally and vertically with respect to the base, removable rail braces interposed between the rail and truss, and means cooperating with the truss and abutments for securing the truss in dilferent po sitions of adjustment.

15. A rail chair including a base having upstanding abutments, means for permanently attaching the base to a sub-structure, a truss resting directly on the base or on a shim between the abutments and provided with lateral walls embracing the abutments, rail braces provided with terminal lips bearing against the lateral walls of said truss, and means interposed between the truss and abutments for holding said truss in different positions of adjustment without disturbing the base securing means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST Gr. LIEBMANN. [Ls] Witnesses:

J. D. YoAKLEY, FRnnERIo B. WRIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

